Pro Tips and Tricks for First Time Cruisers

1. Pro tips to use before you book

The best cruise hack is choosing a sailing that fits your life style. A low advertised fare is not necessarily the best value if the itinerary, cabin location, or extra fees do not suit your life style.

• Travel Agents specializing in cruise vacations can be your best friend when booking your first cruise. Depending on available time to research your first cruise, travel agents can answer questions about specific cruise lines, ships, and destinations. They may also have access to cruise deals that you won’t find online at no additional cost to you
• Cruises can be a significant investment. Consider travel insurance to cover unexpected situations like cruise cancellations, medical emergencies or evacuations at sea, or missed travel connections. It’s worth the peace of mind, especially for international cruises where your personal health insurance coverage may not cover you
• Compare the entire trip cost, including taxes, port fees, gratuities, transportation, drinks, Wi-Fi, specialty dining, and shore excursions.
• Look at the ship's age, size, atmosphere, and included activities instead of choosing only by destination.
• Check the cruise itinerary schedule carefully. Cruises with several sea days can feel very different from an itinerary with a new port almost every day.
• Read the cancellation terms and consider cruise travel insurance that covers medical care, medical evacuation costs, trip interruption, and missed connections

2. Cruise hacks that can save money

Onboard spending is easier to control when you make a plan before sailing. Decide which extras genuinely improve your trip and skip the rest without feeling like you are missing out.

Price packages before purchasing them

Do the math on beverage, Wi-Fi, dining, and excursion packages. A package only saves money when you are likely to use enough of its benefits. Cruise lines may offer different prices before departure and once you are onboard, so compare the terms and timing in your cruise planner.

Look beyond cruise-line excursions

Official shore excursions can be convenient, especially for first-time cruisers, but independent guides and local operators may offer smaller groups or lower prices. Check reviews, meeting locations, cancellation policies, and the time needed to return to the ship. If you explore independently, leave a generous buffer before all-aboard time.

Use the included options

Main dining rooms, buffets, many casual venues, pools, public spaces, live entertainment, and daily activities are often included in the fare. Read the daily schedule and try the complimentary options before adding paid activities.

3. Choosing a comfortable cabin and packing smarter

Pick a cabin location that matches your needs

Midship cabins on lower decks generally experience less effects from ocean movement than cabins at the bow or stern. Travelers who value quiet should avoid booking directly below a pool deck or buffet, beside a late-night venue, or close to a busy elevator bank. If natural light and outdoor space matter to you, compare the price difference between an oceanview and balcony cabin.

Keep important items and documents in your carry-on during embarkation and when leaving the ship.

Your checked luggage may not reach your cabin immediately after boarding. Pack medication, travel documents, valuables, chargers, a swimsuit, sunscreen, a change of clothes, and anything you need for the first afternoon in a small carry-on.

• Passport and other required travel documents
• Prescription medication and basic personal care items
• Phone, charging cable, and a portable battery
• Swimsuit, sunscreen, sunglasses, and a light layer
• Reusable water bottle and a small day bag

Pack for the dress code and the weather conditions

Review the cruise line's dress guidelines and your destinations' forecast before packing. Bring comfortable walking shoes, layers for air-conditioned areas, and one outfit for any formal or elegant evening. Use packing cubes, soft organizers or compression bags to keep your cabin neat and organized.

• Keeping essential items like swimwear, medication, and a change of clothes in your carry-on, then begin exploring the ship amenities
• Don’t overpack as most cruise ships have casual atmospheres and laundry facilities. Pack fewer clothes than you think you need, you’ll appreciate the extra space when bringing home souvenirs
• Pack multiple swimsuits, they take time to dry in humid cabin bathrooms. Having at least two ensures you always have a dry one ready for the pool or shore excursions
• Use packing cubes, soft organizers, or compression bags to help maximize space in your suitcase and keep things neat and organized throughout your cruise. They’re great for small cabin storage
• Prescription medication and basic personal care items
• Phone, charging cable, and a portable battery
• Sunscreen, sunglasses, and a light layer to cover up if needed
• Reusable water bottle and a small day bag
• Small night light for use in the cabin. Cabins can be very dark, especially without any outside lighting.

4. Make embarkation day easier

Embarkation is exciting, but it can be a very busy time. Completing all administrative steps before arriving will let you focus on boarding and getting oriented with the ship.

• If flying or driving to your departure cruise port, consider arriving a day early and avoid travel delays due to weather or bad road conditions. Nothing will start your cruise vacation off worse than missing the ship departure.
• Complete online check-in requirements as soon as it opens and upload any required identification or security information.
• Save digital copies of your documents and keep the originals accessible in your carry-on.
• Arrive during your assigned arrival time window rather than arriving extremely early and having to wait outside the terminal.
• Attach luggage tags correctly to your checked luggage and keep valuables, medication, and documents with you in a carry-on bag.
• Once onboard, connect to the ship's Wi-Fi, review the emergency drill instructions, and locate your muster station. Check-in at the muster station may be required.
• Everyone boards essentially at once and the ship's buffet can get extremely crowded the first day. As you walk around the ship, look for alternative dining venues that might be less busy for your first meal onboard. Many ships open specialty restaurants or the main dining room for lunch on embarkation day, and these venues are typically much less crowded
• Walk the ship before the crowds build. Find the dining room, theater, elevators, guest services desk, pool, and your preferred quiet spaces.
• If needed, book any specialty restaurant reservations, spa appointments or shore excursions early and once onboard to avoid the sold out disappointment.
• Check that everything in your cabin is working correctly upon arrival, tv, safe, toilet, air conditioning. Speak with your cabin attendant to have any problems resolved.

5. Daily activities onboard

Read the daily schedule of onboard activities that's delivered to your cabin.

Daily activities can include trivia, bingo, live music, demonstrations, fitness classes, lectures, kids' activities, parties, and theater shows. Select a few events, but leave open time in each day so that your cruise does not feel like your packed itinerary on land.

Reserve popular activities early

Make reservations for specialty restaurants, signature shows, spa appointments, and limited-capacity activities as soon as the cruise line allows. Consider doing this shortly after arriving to avoid the sold out disappointment. If your preferred time is unavailable, check again later because cancellations and schedule changes happen.

Find your quiet spaces

Busy pool decks are not the only places to relax. Try an aft promenade, library, adults-only areas, observation lounge, upper-deck corner, or a comfortable spot near a window. Exploring beyond the most visible venues can make a large ship feel much calmer.

Protect your phone and your time

Keep your phone in airplane mode until you understand your carrier's maritime roaming rules. Use the ship's Wi-Fi selectively, and agree with your travel companions on a meeting place in case someone goes offline. A paper copy or screenshot of the day's plan is useful when your battery is low.

6. Use smart shore-excursion strategies

Port days are an opportunity to see a lot in a short time, but the ship's departure time is non-negotiable. Plan your shore day around a reliable return time, not around fitting in one last stop.

• Research your itinerary ports of call in advance of embarkation, gain insight into place and things you would like to visit, shore excursions to take, and be ready to make the most of your time ashore
• Confirm the ship's local time and the "all-aboard" time before leaving the pier. There will be an "all-aboard" time announced for every port.
• Carry a photo of your ship, the port address, identification as required by the cruise line to re-board, and the day's emergency contact information.
• Wear comfortable shoes and bring water, sun protection, local currency or an alternate payment method, and a small carry-on bag.
• Check walking distances, accessibility, local transportation, and weather conditions before committing to multiple activities.
• Respect local communities, follow port and country rules, and learn a few courteous phrases when visiting foreign country.

7. Disembarkation without last-day stress

Disembarkation goes smoothly when you start preparing a day or two early. Read the instructions delivered to your cabin and pay attention to luggage tags, departure groups, transportation, and customs requirements.

• Review your onboard account and question unexpected charges before the final morning.
• Tipping, many cruise lines allow prepayment of tips and gratuities when purchasing your cruise. This covers all of your tips for the cruise, cabin attendants, bartenders, and food servers. You can certainly tip extra for exceptional service that your received. However, many cruisers may not realize they’ve already paid for gratuities on such items as beverage purchases, specialty dining venues and spa services, which usually include service charges that serve as gratuities for the staff
• Keep travel documents, medication, toiletries, chargers, a change of clothes, and breakfast essentials with you, not placed in checked luggage.
• Pack valuables and fragile items in your carry-on, not in the checked bags placed outside your cabin.
• Allow extra time for customs, luggage collection, traffic, and airport security when booking post-cruise air travel.
• If your flight is early, ask the cruise line about the earliest practical departure group instead of assuming you can walk off at any time.

Quick answers to common cruise questions